The invention relates to a striker device for a firearm of the type having a loading chamber for a munition whose detonator cap is provided with a percussion cap. The device includes a translationally movable assembly comprised of a striker equipped with a striker tip and associated with a part or valve in which the striker is axially guided and which is itself guided in axial displacement in a passage of a striker body located to the rear of the loading chamber and which has, on one face or front face, a firing pocket against which the detonator cap of the munition is normally applied, and structure for moving the striker between a cocked position in which its striker tip is withdrawn inside the passage of the striker body and a firing position in which its striker tip projects into the firing pocket of the striker body to strike the percussion cap.
A striker device of the aforementioned type is described in particular in Applicant's French patent FR-A2 678 057.
In general, the striker device described in this prior document is equipped with structure allowing for compensation of the relatively large lengthwise play that may exist in the chamber of the weapon between the firing pocket and the munition detonator cap, for example due to the accumulation of dimensional tolerances, and to a differential in thermal expansion and increased humidity when the cases of the munitions are made of nonmetal materials. The play between the firing pocket and the munition detonator cap may when be greater than the projection of the striker tip into the firing pocket, and the munition does not ignite.
However, a striker device is relatively complex because of the large number of parts that must be assembled. As a result, the machining and assembly operations are delicate and must be carried out by skilled personnel.